1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the roofing and siding art and more particularly to improved interlocking simulated shingle construction.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The conventional types of shingles, such as wood, concrete or clay tiles or asphalt, have generally not proven to be completely satisfactory in all applications. In general, the comparatively small size of the individual conventional shingles requires a comparatively lengthy time for covering an entire roof or wall. Further, such shingles require periodic maintenance in order to maintain them in satisfactory condition. These shingles, of course, have not proven to be effective thermal insulators and normally some other form of packing or insulation material has been utilized in the roof, ceiling or wall structure to provide the necessary thermal insulation.
Therefore, there have heretofore been developed various types of simulated shingles attemtping to solve these problems. For example, conventional wood shingles were utilized on metallic carriers, such as those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,418,777 and 3,232,020. Such arrangements often require separate elements, such as clips or the like, for complete installation. Utilization of such metallic carriers for holding conventional shingles did little to either decrease the cost of installing a shingle roof or improve the thermal or structural integrity of the shingles.
Other types of roofing or siding structures have incorporated various plastic laminates combined with one or more ridged members for installation as a simulated shingle on roofs or on walls as sidings. In certain of these prior art simulated shingle arrangements the nail heads were exposed to the environment thereby requiring utilization of corrosive resistant steel, or other similar materials resistant to environmental effects, in order to avoid rusting or the like. One such arrangement is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,352,236. Such exposed nails or screws detracted from the true simulated shingle structural appearance of the roof or wall. Other U.S. Patents, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,626,439; 3,605,369; 638,802; 3,111,787 and 2,110,579 show various shingle arrangements.
In other simulated shingles the utilization of metallic elements not only increased the cost but required cutting tools, generally not available to the roofer, for sizing the simulated shingle elements to the particular roof or wall being covered. Thus, special saws or shears were required to cut through such metallic elements. Additionally, in utilization of metallic elements the weight of the load on the roof was thereby increased thus increasing the required strength of the supporting structure.
Further, the lower edge of most prior art shingles rested on the top edge of the adjacent course of shingles leaving a void between the sheeting and the shingles, thus resulting in fractures of the shingles and increased fire hazard.
One type of simulated shingle heretofore sold by National Pacific Roofing Products, a Division of Stephan Chemical Company, 8748 Remmet Avenue, Canoga Park California, utilized fiberglass shingle panels which were heavy, expensive and difficult to trim to size and then install in the field. Further, while providing a water tight seal between adacent shingles in the same course, such a seal was not interlocked between adjacent courses resulting often in wind forces loosening an entire panel.
While certain of the prior art simulated shingles have utilized various forms of interlock between simulated shingles in adjacent courses, such interlocks have generally not been of the type allowing a rapid slide fit of one course into the immediately previously installed course. Further, there has been no provision, in general, in prior art simulated shingles for a water tight sealing interlock between adjacent shingles in the same course. In the patent application referred to above a unique improved interlocking shingle construction is provided for simulating a plurality of shingles of foamed plastic and having wood portions and are secured to the sheeting members of a roof. The construction of the herein application is entirely new and unique in that while utilizing, in part, the principle of the prior application, the panels or courses of shingle members made of plastic are now integrated to the boards or wooden members that constitute the sheeting itself of the roof so that in making the construction, that is applying the roof, the shingles are integrated with the sheeting members and become applied at the same time to the roof rafters and are in sealed interlocking relationship both as between parallel courses from the top or ridge pole to the eves. Also, where courses or panels are joined at their lateral ends, they are also sealed. A preferred form of the construction is described in detail hereinafter.